CONCEPT DIAGRAM OF LCD OPERATION
(Incident light) (Incident light)
Polarizer A
OFF
ON
Liquid crystal molecules
Polarizer B
Light
Dark
When incident (natural) light reaches Polarizer A, only the light in the direction of the liquid crystal molecules is allowed to pass.
? POWER OFF (no voltage applied) The light passing through Polarizer A is forced to follow the twist (90?) of the liquid crystal molecules. All of the light reaching Polarizer B from Polarizer A is allowed to pass because the Polarizers are perpendicular to each other. ? POWER ON (voltage applied) When voltage is applied, the liquid crystal molecules of Polarizer A do not twist the light, and so it passes through as it is to Polarizer B. Because of this, the light reaching Polarizer B is blocked.
LCD CONSTRUCTION AND NOMENCLATURE
9 7 6 1
4 10 8
3 5 14 13 11
12 2
1) F substrate (glass) 2) Terminal 3) Segment electrode 4) Common electrode 5) B substrate (glass) 6) Upper polarizing plate 7) Orientation layer 8) Sealant 9) LC (liquid crystal) 10) Conducting material 11) Sealant 12) Inlet 13) Viewing area 14) Lower polarizing plate, or lower polarizing plate and reflecting plate
DISPLAY CONDITIONS AND VIEWING ANGLE (I)
Display Mode Applications Characteristics Basic low-power LCD. Display is illuminated by ambient light, making it difficult to read in dark environments.
Positive display A) Display type
General
Negative display
Back light display Multi-color display
A backlight makes characters stand out clearer. Multi-color display produced using color filters.
Reflecting plate Light source
Reflective type
General
Reflected light Polarizing plate
Generally used in bright environments.
B) Polarizing plates, reflecting plates
Transflective plate
Transflective type (Semitransparent)
Transmitted light
Backlight source
External light and back light display
Can be used as reflective type when ambient light is bright, and as transmissive type when ambient light is dim.
Polarizing plate
Transmissive type (transparent)
Backlight source
Back light display
Used with backlight for dark environments.
The thickness of the polarizing plate, transflecting plate, and reflecting plate may be restricted in order to allow optimum LCD characteristics. Standard specification: 1) Polarizing plate thickness : 0.15mm 2) Transflecting plate thickness : 0.25mm Reflecting plate thickness : 0.25mm
DISPLAY CONDITIONS AND VIEWING ANGLE (II)
Display Mode (backlight color) / (light color) Gray / Black Applications Characteristics
TN
Viewing angle and direction somewhat limited.
C) Wide angle viewing field display
HTN
Gray / Black
Up to 1/48 duty drive possible. Wide visual field.
STN
Green / Blue Gray / Purple Blue / White
Up to 1/200 duty drive possible. High quality image.
FSTN
White / Black
Up to 1/200 duty drive possible. High quality image.
D) Color display
Color filter
Color Filter
Multi-color
Backlight source
Color display stands out for alarms, etc.
Used in combination with negative display for partial coloring.
E) Viewing direction
12
1:30
Example
12
For displays that require high-contrast at various angles and directions.
7:30
Contrast characteristic diagram for following conditions: 9 3V, 1/3D, 1/3B _ O= 60X Viewing angle setting 12:00
3
10 15 20
(CR)
DRIVING SYSTEMS OF LCD
Driving systems Static drive system Characteristics Obtainable high margin of operating voltage allows higher quality display. Simple drive circuit conditions, low-voltage operations possible. Example
1F1A 1B1G 2F2A 2B 2G 7F7A 7B 7G 8F8A 8B 8G
COMMON
1E 1D1CD1 2E 2D 2CD2
7E 7D 7CD7 8E 8D8CD8
Dynamic (timedivision drive system)
When a large number of elements are driven: - Fewer drive circuits. - Fewer connections between circuit and display cells.
COM1 COM2 COM3
S1 S2 S3S4 S5 S6 S19 S20S21S22 S23 S24
Dynamic (time-division) drive system
1. Voltage averaging method
Vo
Vo/a
-Vo This method provides optimum bias 1/a for the number of time (a) Example of select drive waveform divisions by weighting the drive voltage for N-1 deselects of the (1-2/a)Vo scanning side less than the drive voltage of one select of the Vo/a scanning side. The voltage averaging method 1/a bias is calculated -(1-2/a)Vo -Vo/a ? (b) Example of deselect drive waveform according to the following formula: Example waveforms using 1/a bias method a = ? N + 1 N : number of time divisions The resulting value for a is generally truncated to an integer.
-Vo/a
2. Operating voltage range
The lighting condition of the liquid crystal depends on the effective value of the drive voltage. The maximum operating margin is expressed as follows: = ? ((? N + 1) / (? N 1)) = (Vth2) / (Vth1) Vth1 : Voltage representing 50% of luminance characteristics of select waveform. Vth2 : Voltage representing 74% of luminance characteristics of deselect waveform.
Lighting voltage range with no crosstalk
Com1 -1/2V
4
-V 0 0 -V +V -V -V 0
Operating voltage
B
Luminance
Select waveform
3 2 1
Com2 -1/2V
74% 100% 50%
Deselect waveform
= Vth2/Vth1
Seg
Seg vs Com1 + 1/2V 0 (Select) -1/2V
Vth1
Vth2 Drive voltage V
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Number of time divisions N
Luminance characteristics by time-division drive
Operating margin in 1/a bias method
Seg vs Com2 + 1/2V 0 (Deselect) -1/2V
Waveforms for 1/2 duty, 1/2 bias liquid crystal drive
LCD CONNECTION TYPES
ELASTOMER CONNECTOR - Connection method Mechanical compression - Structure Alternate laminations of conductive and insulating rubber - Contact pitch Min. 0.5mm recommended PIN CONNECTOR - Connection method Solder - Structure Plated metal pins - Contact pitch 1.5, 1.8, 2.0, 2.54mm FLEX CONNECTOR - Connection method Heat seal (heat + pressure), solder or mechanical compression - Structure Base film with electro-conductive traces - Contact pitch Heat seal type 0.28mm Min. Solder type 0.8mm Min. TCP STRUCTURE Tape carrier package (with driver) - Connection method Heat and pressure fitting (ACF), soldering
COG STRUCTURE Chip on glass - Connection method Heat and pressure fitting (ACF), heatseal, FPC, rubber, socket or pin
LCD BASIC DESIGN RULES
FEATURE Glass thickness Polarizer thickness Total display thickness Seal width Contact ledge width For DIL pins type For DIL pins type For elastomer type Front Back (RF) G=1.10 G=0.70 G=0.55 G=1.10 G=0.70 G=0.55 P=2.51 P=1.80 G=1.10 G=0.70 G=0.55 P=2.54 P=1.80 L<3mm L>3mm L<3mm L>3mm MIN ----------------1.80 1.50 1.20 2.20 2.00 2.00 1.20 1.00 2.00 3.20 3.20 0.05 0.06 0.05 0.06 0.20 0.02 TYP 1.10 0.70 0.55 0.20 0.20 2.60 1.80 1.50 2.00 2.00 2.00 2.50 2.50 2.50 2.00 2.00 3.00 6.35 6.35 MAX --------0.30 ------3.00 3.00 3.00 3.50 3.50 --------20.00 22.00
For heat seal type Pin length Minimum track widths General design - Line Space
Graphic - Line - Space
OPTIMUM GLASS SIZES
SINGLE EDGE CONNECT
C A
A 170 113 85 68 56 48 42 37 34 30
if D = 2.5
B C
114 111.5
86 83.5
69 66.5
57 54.5
49 46.5
43 41.5
39 36.5
35 32.5
32 29.5
DOUBLE EDGE CONNECT
D A
A 170 113 85 68 56 48 42 37 34 30
if D = 2.5
B C
115 110
87 82
70 65
59 54
51 46
45 40
40 35
36 31
33 28
28 23
C B
TYPICAL CUSTOM LCDS
